Tamiflu Reviews

If you've used Tamiflu, please help others by adding your feedback. What would you tell your best friend about this product? Please remember that we do not give medical advice. That is for your local health care provider, who is familiar with your medical history. You can use the form below to add your comments, feedback or Tamiflu review.

Subj: Can you take Tamiflu again?Date: 9/19/2009 Having misread the directions, I took 2 {75mg} Tamiflu pills but am starting the correct dosage tomorrow. There are no side effects now but should I be concerned at all? Also, once you have taken Tamiflu for one flu strain, can you take it again later in the flu season if necessary? Thank you.
S.S.

AskDocWeb: We have seen nothing in the literature to indicate that you could not take Tamiflu again, unless of course you had a bad reaction the first time.

Subj: Grandparents point of viewDate: 10/10/2009 Thank you, our granddaughter supposedly has the H1N1 virus. Her doctor said she was 40% sure that she had it. He dad has been out of work for over a year so there is no health insurance. The doctor wanted to do a $200 dollar throat culture, instead did a $7 dollar one. The office visit was $65. The doctor wrote a prescription for Tamiflu. Lakota is 10 years old. The pharmacist said the doctor wrote the prescription for 3 bottles instead of 2. Cost, $196.00 and the label says dispose of contents after 5 days. From a grandparents point of view it seems to me the doctor gets a commission on the prescriptions that are written. It seems to me that most of us will just have to suffer, rather than buy the Tamiflu.
Doris

Subj: Refrigerate Tamiflu?Date: 10/18/2009I didn't realize I needed to refrigerate my daughter's Tamiflu. Can she still take it?
Ashley

AskDocWeb: The manufacturer says that the liquid Tamiflu should be refrigerated at a temperature between 36 and 46 degrees F (2 to 8 degrees C). The pills do not require refrigeration. Do not freeze either the pills or the liquid form of Tamiflu.

Subj: Gilbert's syndromeDate: 10/21/2009 Should people who have Gilbert's syndrome take tamiflu?
Stacy

AskDocWeb: The only contraindication that Merck lists is hypersensitivity to the drug or any component of the formulation.

Subj: Keeping TamifluDate: 10/22/2009 I keep my tamiflu in the kitchen counter above and to the side of the stove. Is that going to ruin it? If it is ruined and I take it, will there be negative consequences?
Debbie

AskDocWeb: The maximum shelf life of liquid Tamiflu is 5 weeks (35 days) if stored in a refrigerator at 2 to 8 degrees C (36 to 46 degrees F) or 5 days if stored at room temperature (77 degrees F). Higher temperatures will shorten the shelf life of Tamiflu. The shelf life of capsules is much longer (7 years) but high temperatures will also shorten that.

Update 10/31/2009: During this public health emergency (H1N1 flu pandemic), the FDA has issued Emergency Use Authorizations that extend the expiration dates on some Tamiflu and Relenza. Eighteen lots of Tamiflu Capsules and three lots of Relenza Inhalation Powder have been authorized by the FDA for use beyond their expiration dates.

Although this announcement is not directed to individuals who already have these two products in their homes, it may still be worth noting. For details see this page.

Subj: Flu vaccine with Tamiflu?Date: 10/23/2009 Is there a time frame on giving the flu vaccine after taking Tamiflu?
Gerry

AskDocWeb: According to Roche Laboratories, "The use of TAMIFLU along with an intranasal flu vaccine like FluMist®* has not been evaluated. However, due to the possibility for interference between these products, an intranasal flu vaccine should not be given within 2 weeks before or 48 hours after taking TAMIFLU, unless it is deemed appropriate by your doctor. The type of flu vaccine administered as a shot through the skin can be given at any time relative to use of TAMIFLU."

The injected vaccines, flu shots and jabs are made from inactivated or dead viruses so they will not make the shot ineffective and vice versa. On the other hand, the nasal mist vaccines are made from live but weakened viruses (so weak that they will not make you sick). Taking Tamiflu would make the nasal mist vaccine inactive before you received any benefit from nasal mist vaccine.

Subj: The real side effects of TamifluDate: 10/24/2009 Where are all the real side effects of this drug that has caused many countries to restrict prescibing and even recalling it. My daughter took tamiflu and by the 3rd dose was experiencing sever skin irritation, hallucination of people and shadows and hearing voices, and I quote "feeling movement and knumbness moving from one side of my bran to the next." anxiety, sobbing and crying and a rear fear of insanity. This is an otherwise healthy 20year old student with a 3.5 GPA who was unable to control actions and mind. I immediatley jump on the internet to see if this was common of the flu or reaction to tamiflu and I find hundreds of horrible information and blogs about similar reactions and worse including death. Why is the government ignoring these warnings?
Caroline

AskDocWeb: It may appear that the government is ignoring the warnings but before you try to take it off the market, you may want to ask what alternatives are available. There are currently only 11 antiviral drugs available and only 4 of them work on the flu, Amantadine (Symmetrel), oseltamivir (Tamiflu), rimantidine (Flumadine), and zanamivir (Relenza). Three of these, Amantadine, rimantadine, and oseltamivir may be administered throughout the flu season as preventatives for patients who cannot take the influenza virus vaccine. All have possible side effects, which must be weighed against their known benefits.

Subj: Shelf life of Tamiflu liquidDate: 10/27/2009 I had influenza A in June, took pills worked great, the doctor prescribed a batch for my 4 year old in case he developed symptoms. He did not, but we have the Tamiflu in liquid form. What is the shelf life in liquid form, if kept in the refrigerator?
Dan

AskDocWeb: The maximum shelf life of liquid Tamiflu is 5 weeks (35 days) if refrigerated at 2 to 8 degrees C (36 to 46 degrees F) or 5 days if stored at room temperature (77 degrees F).

Subj: Bleeding gums and stomach painDate: 11/6/2009 My daughter recently stopped taking tamiflu on Monday. Her gums have been bleeding(while brushing her teeth) since Sunday. We went to the nurse practioner on Wed. She was unaware at the time that this was a side effect. It is now Friday and my daughter still has some stomach pain and gums are still sore. Should she be seen again? They started her on Amox Wed for strep throat. I just want to make sure she is not starting any problems with liver as indicated.
Paula

AskDocWeb: Please remember that this website is for sharing information about side effects. The information here is freely available but if you want medical advice you have to pay for it.

Subj: Tylenol with Tamiflu?Date: 11/6/2009 Can you take tylenol while taking tamiflu?
P

AskDocWeb: There are no Drugs mentioned in the patient information that could adversely interact with Tamiflu. Your doctor may actually recommend that you take an over-the-counter medication like Tylenol to reduce fever or other symptoms while Tamiflu's antiviral action takes effect.

Subj: After Tamiflu?Date: 12/3/2009 Subj: How long Tamiflu remains in the body I've completed a 5-day course of Tamiflu and 36 hours after the last dose my urine has traces of deep orange and I have to go frequently. During the course of treatment I also developed episodes of hiccups that also continued 24 hours after the capsules were finished. How long can one expect to see the effects of this drug after completing a course? Thanks.
Mark

AskDocWeb: There have been a small number of reports of effects lasting several days after completing treatment with tamiflu.

Subj: How long does it stay in your system?Date: 12/12/2009 After taking Tamiflu for 5 days how long does this stay in your system and is a 2nd dose ever needed?
Diane

AskDocWeb: The half-life of Tamiflu is only 1 to 3 hours so it gets through your system pretty quick. It is helpful to make a distinction between a dose and a treatment. One dose is a single capsule and a typical treatment consists of 10 capsules taken over 5 days (2 capsules per day). In researching the possibility that Tamiflu could be used a second time if a person was re-infected we came across a blog about virology (virology.ws) that confirmed successful second treatments in such cases.

Subj: After TamifluDate: 12/17/2009I've have nearly finished my tamiflu course and I'm not sure I'm getting any better. Do you just wake up feeling great one morning or is it a gradual thing?
Mitchell

AskDocWeb: Tamiflu does shorten the recovery time by one to two days but often recovery is a gradual thing.

Subj: THANK YOUDate: 2/6/2010 My three year old was given tamiflu by doctor because of his temp of 40c, viomiting, lack of appetite, he did not drink liquids, heavy blocked nose and weakness. Good bless my doctor cause one before told me to put him under shower with cold water and leave him to dry out to drop temp... Run out of words. Did not tolerated capsules well so had to cut it and take powder out - taste horrible- but after three doses he was much better, two more days and he is like new born:) PEOPLE WHO MADE TAMIFLU - THANK YOU.
Tommy

Subj: Drug induced hepatitisDate: 10/4/2010 I was prescribed Tamiflu after being sick for 5 or 6 days in N. J. I EXPERIENCED A RASH AND WAS TOLD TO DISCONINUE. TOO LATE BECAUSE THE RASH CAME OUT WHEN MEDS WERE ALMOST DONE. DOCTOR TOLD ME TO HAVE RASH CHECKED. Dermatologist said use ' soap and water and cortizone cream which did nothing. On well visit I was told I had drug induced hepatitis. My liver functions were normal prior to Tamiflu. I had no jaundice or discoloration of urine so i believed all was fine. I stopped seeing doctors because no one diagnosed what I was experiencing.

Years later, I went to hospital for what I thought was a heart attack, but nuclear stress test and other test came back fine. 9 months later I vomited blood needing 6 bags and endoscopy. I mentioned every visit but was ignored that all problems started when I took the Tamiflu. I am now diagnosed with liver chirosis, awaiting the test results for liver cancer. Doctor prescibed laculose which makes my muscles ache in my legs and I can hardly walk. I also had conjunctivitis and still not one doctor will listen. I was told my body is attacking my organs but they try to blame alcohol use in prior years even though I had normal liver before taking the drug and have not drank in years other then a toast at a wedding. I do not drink nor was I an alcoholic. I do smoke but it was known by my doctor that I smoked. Was I one of the first test animals to use Tamiflu? Did I have a bacterial infection instead of flu?
Carol

AskDocWeb: Because so much time has past (years) since that happened there is no way to find out what you had back them. Tamiflu has been on the market since October 1999. When did you first take it?